6:51 AM,
Nov. 12, 2012

Ohio State sophomore Amir Williams fights for a loose ball Sunday against Albany. Williams is a key part of Ohio State's rebuilt frontcourt.

Written by

Rob
McCurdy

The new reality for Ohio State was as prominent as the Final Four banner unfurled in the Schottenstein Center before the game that honored last year's squad.

To riff on an old Rick Pitino quote when he told his undermanned Boston Celtics that Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish weren't walking through that door: Current Boston Celtic Jared Sullinger isn't either.

Scrubbed from the stat sheet like a Brillo pad to a sticky pot are stats such as these from the middle of the lineup: 12 shot and six free throw attempts, 52 percent shooting overall and 77 percent from the line, 9.2 rebounds, 3.1 ...